I sent Daniel an e-mail and it says they are printed out for him once a week usually. I sent it to him about a week and a half ago, and i'm waiting anxiously for a response. Have any of you ever done this

What you've got to understand up front is that Daniel is not a regular news-watching, paper-reading, internet-savy, computer-literate person. He honestly doesn't know how to use a mouse!

These things just don't "interest" him and he is immersed in his creativity.

He lives in a small (small!) town in Texas and rarely goes out - and when he does it is to build his comic book collection or make a trip to the record store. He doesn't "follow" the popular / public music scene, but he's always listening to new bands and new sounds.

He spends his days at home drawing and writing songs - recording constantly. The only time he picks up a pen is to draw or write lyrics. He doesn't type. He is something of an eccentric and recluse. (did I spell that right?).

I know he does get printed copies of all emails sent to him, and I've even seen him sit down and thoroughly enjoy reading them. He gets CDs and tapes from people, and he listens to them all.

But to actually get him to write an answer or give comments about music sent to him is almost unheard of.

The best that might happen is that his brother asks him a question and his brother responds with Daniel's reply.

But - who knows - he could respond - I don't know for sure - I'm just saying it would be a "rare" thing for him to write back - not because he doesn't care, but because he is just so focused on his creating that he doesn't stop for much else.

Oh, i got the impression that he replied. Shucks. I know all that stuff about him living with his parents and not using a computer and that, but... even a thank you would be appreciated. Oh well, i still live him.

No offense taken at all... I don't mean to be mysterious - "dejected" is used by whoever is handling rejectedunknown.com at the moment - and it corresponds to dejected@rejectedunknown.com - so the identity of "dejected" may change from time to time. But whoever is handling it also tries to keep up with the message board.

When dejected is "me", I am a relative getting involved to help Daniel's future. And he needs all the help he can get! There are at least half a dozen volunteers (some relatives) involved in different ways trying to build his career and future. It is ALSO trying to off-load the responsibilities from Daniel's father - who is 81 years old and needs a break!

And, as it turns out - Daniel called tonight - excited about the NYC trip in April - apparently two shows in NYC and maybe one in Boston. He lives by his own schedule and timetable, so one may sometimes get a call in the middle of the night from him.

I've never known Daniel to write to anyone - in the days that he did "correspond" with his best friend David Thornberry, what he did was mail cassette tapes to him!! Some of them are around still, and being sold on the "underground" market .

Daniel does get all the fan mail printed out - which is anyhwere from two a week to fifteen a week - so for someone who doesn't write, you can be sure he won't respond to the mail.

But you wrote a particularly long and noteworthy letter (I remember it) and Daniel remembered it - so this weekend I intend ("try!") to get a comment from him and pass that along to you. (it will be mailed)

It probably won't be much, but like I said, the letter was one that deserves a response.

Now I've got a out-of-place comment for you. I see the positive in the phrase "I'd rather be hated for what I am than liked for what I am not" - it places honesty above seeking approval. But there is an equivalent weakness in the line - do you see what that is?

Wow, thank you so much. If it's like autographed, or if it's all in his handwriting, or if it's just his words printed on a piece of paper, i wouldn't care. I'm going to probably frame this on my wall and cherish it and brag about it to my friends every day. Especially if it's autographed That would make me a very happy customer, and i will definitly be buying more shirts and CDs.

Entertainus, How old are you? It has been made clear that Daniel has no access to a computer! This is a forum for fans by fans, not Daniels personal hotline to his fans!!

i'm 14 years old. And i know it isn't daniel anyone's talking to on her, but dejected is his... relative or friend? Someone who talks to daniel, and I'm very greatful to him that he is doing this for me.

Oh, and sorry Dejected, I thought about my signature thing a lot, and i can't figure out what you're trying to say...

Okay - let's get a consensus: At what age can you stop calling yourself "stupid"? Let's start with "what age did YOU get into Daniel Johnston?" And were you stupid before, during, or after that period?

Wasn't Chris Robinson 14 when he did a cover of a Daniel song for the Seth Graves tributue? Chris? Are you out there? Can you confirm?

Just food for thought.

I get an image of someone who is always around older kids telling him to "shutup" because he's just a "stupid teenager"

I can also see this kid calling himself a stupid teenage when he's 30 - he might need to be nudged out of that self-abasing image.